Incident
Police Officer Edward Stewart died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.
Officer Stewart was a United States Air Force veteran and had served with the Akron Police Department for 27 years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Police Officer Edward Lee Stewart died on February 12, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 60.
He is one of 884 officers honored here.
Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.
Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, two sons, two grandsons, six brothers, and two sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-FE7ABA5F- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Police Officer Stewart gave the Akron Police Department 27 years.
Thank you for your service to the Akron community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Stewart.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Edward Lee Stewart served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Police Officer Edward Lee Stewart is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In OH, 49 of 991 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 4.9% of this state's fallen. That is 4.2 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Akron Police Department, 3 of 28 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 10.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Edward Lee Stewart's cause is highlighted.
How Edward Lee Stewart Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Edward Lee Stewart is highlighted in Feb.
Others Who Wore This Badge
27 officers from Akron Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.















